Rochester, NY – The D'Youville men's basketball team lost their first game of the Harold J. Brodie Tournament on Saturday evening, falling to the RIT Tigers 94-81.

D'Youville led for the first several minutes of the game until a made jumper from the Tigers gave RIT the lead at the 16:01 mark. Over the next several minutes, RIT increased their lead to 13-9 with 12:57 left in the first. Just over a minute later, the Spartans would regain the lead as Jagdeep Drumgoole (Rochester, NY/Early College) hit a three to give D'Youville the one-point lead.

The two teams would remain scoreless for the next two-plus minutes before the teams would begin to go back and forth, trading the lead seven times in a three and a half minute span. After taking the lead from the Spartans and holding onto it, RIT went up by seven at 28-21 on a made layup. Their lead shrunk to three after a pair of Jeremy VanDuluitgaarden (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) free throws with 3:14 to go in the first. With 1:53 on the clock, D'Youville tied it up at 38-38. The Tigers went back up three and again at six to close out the half leading 46-40.

RIT opened the second half maintaining at least a six-point cushion until the Spartans brought it to within four at 60-56 with a Jake Socha (North Tonawanda, NY/Niagara Catholic) layup. The Tigers then increased their lead to four again before Socha converted an and-one to make it 62-61 game with 11:44 remaining in the game. Just under a minute later, the Spartans completed their comeback to overtake the Tigers at 63-62 on a Devon Camel (Cheektowaga, NY/Cheektowaga) layup.

The lead by the Spartans was short lived as RIT retook the lead and increased it to eight at 74-66 with 7:53 remaining in the game. D'Youville continued to fall further behind the Tigers as the lead grew to double-digits as the game ticked to less than five minutes to play. As the clock wore down, RIT was able to keep their lead over the Spartans and pick up the 94-81 victory.

"It was a hard fought game, and their physicality hurt us, especially on the offensive boards," said head coach Earl Schunk. "To be a good team we will have to learn from these games."

All five starters for the Spartans scored in double-figures, with VanDuluitgaarden leading the way with 15. Socha added 13 points and a team high seven rebounds while Simeon Heard (Rochester, NY/Charles Finney) and Juan Miguel Rosales (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Village School) each had 12 points. Darrius Hartzog (Rochester, NY/Wilson Magnet) scored 11 points and was one of six players with two assists.

Off the bench, Brian Nwaekeke (Corona, CA/John F. Kennedy) led the team with eight points while Drumgoole scored six. Steve Kunelius (Oswego, NY/Oswego) had three rebounds off the bench as well.

The next game for the men comes tomorrow, Sunday, November 26 as they play SUNY Cobleskill at 1:00pm.